Collapsible carrier



R. T. VAN VALKENBURG.

COLLAPSIBL E CARRIER.

APPLICATION FILEDYJMAR. 25, 1921.

Patented May 2, 1922'.

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

ETATES F N orrics.

' RANDALL. T. VAN VALKENBURG, or WASHINGTON, DISTRICT or COLUMBIA.

ooLLArsIBLE CARRIER.

Specification of Letters Patent. P t ted May 2, 1922.

Application as Math 25, 1921. seen to. 455,388. l

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that 1, RANDALL T. VAN VALKENBURG, a citizen of the United States, residing at lVashington, District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Collapsible Carriers; and

I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itv appertains to make and use the same.

,Th i's invention relates to an improved collapsible 0311181 for use 1n carrying materlal from oneplace to another and one object of the invention is to provide a carrier having an improved frame construction, one section of which may be folded upwardly from an ex- .tended or-operative position .to a folded or inoperative position.

the invention is. to so construct this carrier that it may be readily supported in a vertical position but at the same/time permitted to be readily tilted whenin use thus, permitting it to'be moved easily upon its supporting wheels.

Another object of the invention'is .to so construct this carrier that it may be used for carrying large articles such as a piece of ice by placing the ice directly into the frame.

Another object of the invention is to so construct this device that a sack may be placed in the frame and supported from the upper portion thereof when it is desired to carry a quantity of small articles.

Another object-of the invention is to provide a carrier of the type described which may be formed almost entirely of strips of metal riveted together with. certain of the rivets forming pivots for permitting the collapsible portion of the frame to be swung upwardly to the collapsed position.

This invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

. Figure 1 is a perspective view of the v l ig'urei is fragmentary sectional View taken alongthe line 55 of Fig. 3 to show the construction. of one of the latches for holdingthe handle in a raised or operative position. a a v i This improved carrier is provided with a frame having vertical bars 1, 2 and 3. The vertical bars 1 are connected by cross bars or straps 4, theends ofwhich-are bent around the bars 1 shown in Fig. 1. These straps or bares are secured by rivets 5 which in addition to securing the bars 4 to the bars 1, also. serve topivotally connect the'links 6 with the bars. 1. These links 6 are pivotally connected with the barsQ and it will thus be seenlthat th'everticalbaris 1, cross bars 4 and linksfi form a section which may be swung upwardly-from the operative position of Fig. 1 to the collapsed or inoperative position of Fig. 2. The lower links 6 which connect 'thelower. ends of the bars 1 with the bars 2 are, secured to the outer faces of the bars 1 and 2 insteadof the inner faces and further have their endportions bent as shown at 7 sothat the ;collapsible section of the frame v rna'ydoe easily swung upwardly without any binding. I

. The vertical bars 3a connected loy connecting bars 8 whichhave-theirend portions bentto provide side arms 9 which are secured to. the bars 3 and. alsoto the bars 2 by rivets or other suitable fasteners. I In addition to the side arms 9, the bars 2 and 3carry connecting bars 1Q having axle receiving openings Llandfurther carry'barslQ upon which are secured abutment strips 13 which terminateshort of the bars or standards 3. These abutments strips 13will engage the end portions-M of the sidebars 15 ofthe handle and thus limit the upward swinging of the handle and prevent. it from swinging beyond a vertical position. when swung upon its pivot 16. These pivots 16. are in the form of bolts which pass throughthe reinforcing strips 1'7 A and upper side arms 9 and carry wing-nuts v abutment strips 13 and have their free end portionsprovidedwith pins 19, one pin 19 being carried by one of the strips 18 and adapted to fit into the notch 20 formed in the end portion 1 1 of the side arm 15 which engages the abutmentsstrips to which the latch is secured. It'is to be understood that only one latch may be employed if so desired, or a latch may be secured to each of the strips 13. A bracing strip or bar 21 is connected with the bars or standards 2 at a point adjacent the short bars'10 to provide a supporting bar for the forward end portions of the strips 22 which extend between and are secured to the bar 21 and lower bar 8; It will thus be seen that these strips 22 together with the bar 21 and lower bar 8 will form a bottom for the relatively rigid portion of the frame.

The wheels 23 which are mounted upon the axle 24 will be of sufficient size to rest upon the ground with the frame in an upright position and the lower end portionor feet forming sections of the standards 2 resting upon the ground.

Whenthis device'is in use and it is desired to carry a relatively large object such as a piece of ice, thisobject will be placed in the frame and will rest upon the bottom formed by the bar 2]., strips 22 and lower bar ,8. The handle will be swung up as shown .in Fig. 1: andheld by' the latch or latches 18,

the wing-nuts of the fasteners 16 being tightswung upwardly as s l'iow n' iiiFig. 2 and the handle swung down so that the handle bar 2:)

thereof extends beneath the bars or standards 1. The wing nuts will then be tightened and the handle, will serve as means for retaining the collapsible section'in the raised position. If it is desired to carry small objects such. as potatoes or any other material which would pass between the bars of uieirmmaa sack 26 may be placed within the frame. 'This sack is provided with hooks 27 for engaging the upper bars or strips l'and 8. The sack will therefore be suspended in tlie fr ame and the material to be carried'may be placed in the sack. It is of course understood that if desired additional hooks may be provided for engaging the upper bars '6 and the arms 9 of the upper bar 8. The frame can 'be foldedto .the collapsed position with the sack in place as shown inFig. 2 and the device can be put away in a small amount of space. It should be noted that when not in usefthe device'will remain in'a vertical position and be supported in this vertical position by the standards 2, the lower endsof whichwill provide the supporting legs. As previouslyexplained,

the upper cross bar 4 provides a strip which can be grasped and used as a hand-hold for which may be used for carrying bulky or small objects and which can be further collapsed into a relatively small mass and put away in a small space where it will remain in a vertical position and not be liable to fall over.

. I claim '1. In a carrier, a frame having a rigid section having a bottom, end walls and a rear sidewall and open'at its front, depending means carried by the bottom forengaging the ground to retai'n' the rigid sectionin an upright position, and a folda-ble section pivotally connected with the end'wallsof the rigid section whereby the foldable section may be folded towards the rigid-section to a collapsed position 2. A carrier comprising a frame having a rigid section having a'bottom', end walls an outer side wall and open at its front,

supporting wheels at the ends of the rigid section and depending means for engaging the ground to retain the rigid section in a vertical position, and a foldable section having an outer side wall for engagingthe ground, and end walls formed ofbars pivotally connected with the endwalls of the rigid'section and outer wall of the foldable section whereby the foldable section may be folded upwardly. towards therigid section to'a collapsed position. ened. Tlheframe can then beitilted back'and moved readily upon .thewheels 23'. lVhen not i1ruse,-the-, collapsible section may be the end walls of the rigid section and a cross bar carried byhe-side arms for extending beneath the side wall of the fololable section and engaging the end-walls thereof 7 to retain. the foldable section in a raised and inoperative position.

41:. The structure of claim 2 and a handle having side arms pivotally connected with the end walls of the'rigid section and a cross bar carried by the side arms for eX- tending beneath the side wall ofth'e foldable section and engaging the end walls thereof to retain the foldable section in a raised and inoperative position, the side arms being pivotally mountedthrough the medium of bolts having securing nuts for engaging the side arms and releasably holding the handle in a set position.

The structure of claim 2 and a handle having side arms pivotally connected with the end wallsof the rigid section and crossbar earned by the side arms for extending beneath the side wall of the foldable section and engaging the end walls thereof to retain the. foldable section in a raised and inoperative position, abutmentstrips carried by the end walls of the rigid ,top and front, an auxiliary section extending from the end walls in front of the open front of said body and movable towards the body to a folded position, ground engaging wheels connected with said body, ground engaging means for retaining the carrier in an upright position, and a handle connected with said body-and movable into and out of an operative position.

7. A carrier of the character described comprising a frame having a body portion having a bottom, end walls and a rear side wall and open at its forward side, an auxiliary section extending in front of said body from the upper end of the end wall, ground engaging supporting means carried by said bottom, and 'a sack fitting into said body and resting upon the bottom thereof, the open upper end portion of said sack being provided with means for engaging the upper portions of the auxiliary section and body to releasably support the sack in the body..

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand. 7

RANDALL T. VAN VALKENBURG. 

